There are many processes in which machines having parts which are movable with respect to each other are used. For example, many are used in the food and drug industry. In conjunction with these devices, sealing problems may occur especially where shafts pass through walls in containers. This problem is particularly manifest when there is an excess of pressure over atmospheric pressure in the machines. In this situation, there is a risk that matter present in the machines would be pressed out into the environment through various bearings and the seals. This escape of matter through the bearings and seals may contaminate the environment with microbes which might be used in the process.
In practice, it is impossible to obtain a perfect seal between two elements which are relatively moving with respect to each other. One proposed suggestion is that an inert medium be pressed into the gap between two relatively movable surfaces, so that the pressure of the medium in the gap is higher than the pressure in the matter which is contained in the vessel and which is thus being prevented from leaking through that gap. The use of such a seal would give rise to only small friction losses, but the method would not absolutely guarantee that microbes would be prevented from passing through the gap. Particularly, this is a concern when the pressure in the inner medium which has been placed in the gap decreases or ceases to exist. It is also not acceptable to employ a chemical germicidal agent in the gap, since such would be placed in the space where the process is taking place. The process then would be adversely affected by the presence of a chemical germicidal agent.
It is known such as by SE-B-7609594 to supply steam to a sealing device, for example, for a shaft passing through a wall, so that the high temperature of the steam acts as a germicidal agent. This arrangement is comparatively expensive and complicated, since steam conduits, condensers and return conduits, etc are needed to complete the arrangement.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for disinfecting a gap between two elements which are movable with respect to each other. The object is to provide such an arrangement which is simple and compact, as well as being inexpensive to install and operate.